About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to use your research and admin skills to work across varied projects of national importance while making a difference to millions of people’s lives.

About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

The CMA is now looking for an Internal Market Officer in the Office for the Internal Market (OIM) and a Subsidy Advice Officer in the Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU).

The OIM supports the effective operation of the UK’s internal market by providing economic and technical reporting and monitoring. The OIM also provides independent advice to Governments throughout the UK on the impacts of regulations on the internal market.

The SAU provides independent non-binding advice within a 30-day period to public authorities in respect of subsidies that are referred to the SAU. The SAU also monitors and reports on the operation of the domestic subsidy control regime and its impact on competition and investment within the UK.

The role

The Internal Market Officer and Subsidy Advice Officer will work collaboratively as part of multi-disciplinary teams and take responsibility for significant aspects of the high-quality, robust and impartial advice and reports published by the SAU and OIM.

You will support the OIM and SAU and their Senior Leadership Teams in the effective operation of the units that deliver analytically challenging work which attracts a high level of interest and scrutiny.

About you

You will have;

Evidence of proven research and analysis skills, with experience of gathering, analysing, summarising and presenting information to senior managers.

Strong administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work successfully in order to meet deadlines.

Demonstrable verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to produce documents for a wide variety of audiences.

Job description

Delivering projects

• Contribute to and provide day-to-day assistance with SAU and OIM projects, so that they are delivered in an effective and timely way (including to statutory timescales) and to budget.
• Undertake research and present findings that will contribute to clear, accurate and evidence-based outputs (reports and advice).
• Prepare high quality written material (e.g., correspondence, minutes, summaries and meeting notes) to support project work.
• Provide administrative and organisational support to the team, including the management of filing systems and project documentation.
• Take a proactive approach to risk management, identifying and escalating risks where necessary.

Development of the SAU and OIM

• Contribute to the wider development of the SAU and OIM units, ensuring arrangements are in place for effective and efficient project delivery, ensuring a focus on continuous improvement within projects, and sharing know-how.

Effective communication and close partnership working

• Support fair, open, professional and proactive communication and engagement with government, public authorities, businesses and other stakeholders throughout the UK.

Opportunity to contribute to the CMA’s wider work

While these roles are based in the OIM and SAU, the successful candidates may have opportunities to be involved in other areas including: markets, mergers, regulatory appeals, and enforcement. The postholder may also be asked to work on either SAU or OIM matters.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples of each of the following selection criteria in your application:

• Evidence of proven research and analysis skills, with experience of gathering, analysing, summarising and presenting information to senior managers. (Lead Criteria)
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work successfully in order to meet deadlines. (Lead Criteria)
• Demonstrable verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to produce documents for a wide variety of audiences. 
• Evidence of working collaboratively with others, including through working as part of a team and managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders.  
• Demonstrable ability to perform, stay focussed and deliver successful outcomes in an environment of uncertainty or through periods of change and a willingness to acquire, at speed, a detailed knowledge of unfamiliar markets and policy areas.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, in particular, Outlook, Word and Excel, as well as experience using Electronic Data Record Management systems (e.g., SharePoint) and databases.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,550, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £9,868 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.

The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review) and an interview. Arrangements for the interview will be enclosed in the invitation.  Interviews will be either conducted either virtually, by Microsoft Teams, or in-person at a CMA office. 

An initial sift based on criteria 1 and 2 (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification (above, below and in the attached candidate pack) will then be considered.

• Evidence of proven research and analysis skills, with experience of gathering, analysing, summarising and presenting information to senior managers. (Lead Criteria)
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work successfully in order to meet deadlines. (Lead Criteria)
• Demonstrable verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to produce documents for a wide variety of audiences. 
• Evidence of working collaboratively with others, including through working as part of a team and managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders.  
• Demonstrable ability to perform, stay focussed and deliver successful outcomes in an environment of uncertainty or through periods of change and a willingness to acquire, at speed, a detailed knowledge of unfamiliar markets and policy areas.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, in particular, Outlook, Word and Excel, as well as experience using Electronic Data Record Management systems (e.g., SharePoint) and databases.

The sift will take place week commencing 1st April 2024.

If your application is successful you will be invited to attend an interview. You will be notified via email to log-in to your Civil Service Account and book your interview slot. You will be sent an email with full details of your arrangements for interview.

Interviews will be held week commencing 15th April 2024.

The first part of the interview will comprise of a written exercise for which no preparation is required. Details will be forwarded to you before the interview. The second part of the interview will be a 45-60 minute panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours and Experience outlined in the role profile.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process.

For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.